Canada's newest major sports brand, the Canadian Elite Basketball League, has announced the game schedule for its inaugural season, tipping off in May 2019 in six cities across Canada. Modelled after top international professional leagues, the CEBL teams in Edmonton, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Saskatoon, Guelph, and Abbotsford will each play a 20-game regular season schedule using FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules, and player and referee standards set by Canada Basketball.... [read more]

Canada's newest major sports brand, the Canadian Elite Basketball League, has announced the game schedule for its inaugural season, tipping off in May 2019 in six cities across Canada. Modelled after top international professional leagues, the CEBL teams in Edmonton, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Saskatoon, Guelph, and Abbotsford will each play a 20-game regular season schedule using FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules, and player and referee standards set by Canada Basketball.

The season opens May 9 with the Saskatchewan Rattlers hosting the Niagara River Lions, and the Fraser Valley Bandits hosting the Guelph Nighthawks. The Edmonton Stingers welcome Niagara in their season-opener the following night. The final team to open will be the Hamilton Honey Badgers on May 12, with Edmonton visiting Hamilton's FirstOntario Centre.

A groundbreaking professional basketball league created by Canadians for Canadians, CEBL rosters will be comprised of at least 70 percent Canadian players, many playing professionally in North America and overseas during the traditional basketball season. The league is operated primarily by Canadian executives from the NBA, NHL, CFL, NLL, and PGA Tour.

Ticketmaster is the official ticketing partner of the CEBL. Season tickets for each team are slated to go on sale later in November. Fans will be able to visit www.ticketmaster.ca or the Ticketmaster app for the widest selection of verified tickets.

'The CEBL will provide fans with premium entertainment and world class professional basketball, enabling players, coaches, fans, and other stakeholders the opportunity to engage in basketball at the highest level,' said Mike Morreale, Chief Executive Officer of the league.

'Affordable, family-friendly entertainment will make each game a major event designed to appeal to basketball fans and others seeking a fast-paced and fun experience.'

Each team will play 10 home and 10 road games during the 15-week regular season. Teams will all play each other twice at home and twice on the road. The final day of the season is August 15. Four teams will then advance to a championship weekend tournament at a location to be announced at a later date.

TORONTO, ON, (October 22, 2018) - Ticketmaster, the global market leader in ticketing, today announced it will serve as the official ticketing partner for the Canadian Elite Basketball League's (CEBL) inaugural season beginning in May 2019. The ticketing leader will serve as one of the foundational partners of this groundbreaking professional basketball league that will have a major presence in communities across Canada, playing a major role in the development of Canadian basketball playe... [read more]

TORONTO, ON, (October 22, 2018) - Ticketmaster, the global market leader in ticketing, today announced it will serve as the official ticketing partner for the Canadian Elite Basketball League's (CEBL) inaugural season beginning in May 2019. The ticketing leader will serve as one of the foundational partners of this groundbreaking professional basketball league that will have a major presence in communities across Canada, playing a major role in the development of Canadian basketball players, coaches, officials, and executives.

The CEBL will feature six teams across Canada, with teams based in Edmonton, AB, Abbotsford, BC, Guelph, ON, Saskatoon, SK, Hamilton, ON, and St. Catharines, ON.

'We're proud to partner with the ticketing and technology experts at Ticketmaster as we set out to revolutionize basketball throughout Canada,' said Mike Morreale, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. 'This is a professional basketball league created by Canadians, for Canadians, and having a leader like Ticketmaster that is so committed to Canadian live events get in on the ground floor speaks volumes to our dedication to our fans to bring them the best live event experiences.'

As the CEBL's official ticketing partner, Ticketmaster will provide fans with a safe and secure location to buy, sell and transfer tickets. Fans can visit www.ticketmaster.ca or the Ticketmaster app for the widest selection of verified tickets.

'Ticketmaster is proud to partner with the game changing Canadian Elite Basketball League, as they debut next summer,' said Patti-Anne Tarlton, Chief Operating Officer of Ticketmaster Canada. 'With this partnership, Ticketmaster will bring CEBL fans the safest and most secure ticket buying experience available. We are excited to help connect fans to these rising basketball stars.'

About TicketmasterTicketmaster is the global market leader in live event ticketing, operating in 29 countries and processing the sale of over 500 million tickets per year. Through exclusive partnerships with thousands of venues, artists, sports leagues, and arts and theater tours, Ticketmaster delivers unparalleled access to the most iconic live events to millions of fans worldwide.

Joe Raso, recognized as one of the leading coaches and international scouts in Canadian basketball history, was named Director, Basketball Operations by the Canadian Elite Basketball League on Tuesday. He will lead the league's player procurement program both domestically and internationally, oversee the CEBL Draft, direct team and player compliance issues, supervise officiating, and play a lead role in the CEBL's relationships with FIBA, Canada Basketball, other basketball bodies, and wi... [read more]

Joe Raso, recognized as one of the leading coaches and international scouts in Canadian basketball history, was named Director, Basketball Operations by the Canadian Elite Basketball League on Tuesday. He will lead the league's player procurement program both domestically and internationally, oversee the CEBL Draft, direct team and player compliance issues, supervise officiating, and play a lead role in the CEBL's relationships with FIBA, Canada Basketball, other basketball bodies, and with player agents.

'To retain someone of Joe Raso's stature to lead basketball operations is a landmark addition for the Canadian Elite Basketball League, and reflects exceptionally well on what our league has done in only five months of existence and where we're heading,' said Mike Morreale, the league's Chief Executive Officer. 'For more than 35 years Joe has been recognized for his contributions and achievements at every level of basketball around the world. As we continue to create Canada's preeminent national league for basketball, and look forward to beginning play next May, we are thrilled to have Joe serving as director of basketball operations.'

A resident of Hamilton, Ontario, Raso is the all-time winningest coach in McMaster University history, and one of the most successful coaches in CIS/U SPORTS history, compiling 389 wins against only 155 losses (a .715 winning percentage) in 18 seasons, including 17 seasons with 20 or more wins with the Marauders. He currently serves as Head Scout with the Canadian Men's National team, and is an advance scout with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, and Denver Nuggets. Last season Raso served as head coach and general manager of the Niagara River Lions, leading the team to its first-ever playoff victory before the franchise moved up from the NBL to join the CEBL.

'I am very happy to be on board with the CEBL, and joining a winning and dedicated professional league that is building a legacy for a game that means so much to me,' Raso said. 'The CEBL is going to be an entertaining league that allows Canadian fans nationally the opportunity to enjoy professional basketball that will include Canadian and international talent playing together in great facilities. The development of this league, with its solid corporate administration and commitment to entertainment and the development or basketball, is very important to me.

'Basketball, in my opinion, is the most inclusive sport in Canada in both participation and fan base,' Raso added. 'It is important to me that I'm involved in a league that has both a national vision, and a shared view of development with our national and international governing bodies.'

Raso has been a national and international consultant, clinician, committee member, speaker, and basketball analyst during the past 25 years. A former National team assistant coach for four years, he has coached in World Championships and Olympic qualifiers, and has coached some of Canada's greatest players, including NBA two-time Most Valuable Player and Hall of Fame inductee Steve Nash. Raso's basketball resume includes four OUA titles, 12 CIS National Championship tournament appearances that resulted in four Silver medals, and being named OUA Coach of the Year six times. He produced five 'All Canadian' players and two National Player of the Year winners while leading McMaster.

An alum of both McMaster and Brock universities who started his university coaching career at the University of Guelph in 1983, Raso has been instrumental in developing basketball at the grassroots level. He is a former Technical Directory with the World International Children's Games, and his Hamilton, Ontario teams won international Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals at those Games. As a high school teacher for 32 years, he coached St. Mary's high school in Hamilton to an OFSAA championship in 1991, and represented Canada at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament in Germany, the top international junior tournament in the world. He has served as director of the Joe Raso High School Basketball Camp since 1999, and as director of Focus on Youth Basketball Camp in Hamilton since 2009.

Raso was founder and developer of 'Basketball vs Bullying', which became the largest anti-bullying seminar in the world and holds the Canadian record for the most attended university basketball game in Canada's history. He was awarded the YMCA National Peace Award in 2006 for that initiative. In 2008 he developed and co-directed 'Hoops Against Hate 'Faces of Racism'', an interactive experience for high school students using basketball to deliver a message of anti-racism.

The inaugural season of the CEBL tips off in May 2019 and runs through August with teams in Hamilton, Niagara, Guelph, Saskatoon, Abbotsford, and Edmonton. Teams will play 20 regular season games, including 10 at home. Deposits on priority season tickets are being accepted now by each team, with season seats going on sale later this fall.

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